People who wonder whether the glass is half empty or half full miss the point. The glass is refillable.~ Irish Saying

Just in the nick of time for St. Paddy’s Day, we’ve created the perfect way to tantalize your taste buds and nourish your body.

With just five ingredients, whipping up a batch of this green goodness is super easy. Best of all, this delightful pick-me-up features two of our signature supplements.

Chocolate Plant Proteinis a delicious, grain-free blend of clean proteins sourced from pea, chia, pumpkin, hemp and quinoa. Greens Blend mixes raw, certified-organic grasses and mushrooms to provide an excellent source of iron, B vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants. This recipe is so jam-packed with nutrients, you’ll be dancing a jig in a jiff!

May the wind always be at your back, the luck of the Irish be with you and your cup full of Emerald Mocha Latte. Sláinte!

Christmas may have come and gone, but the New Year is on the way. Now's no time to power down! Whip up this incredibly tasty batch of pure goodness that's also oh-so-nourishing! It's all the snacky yumminess of rice crispy treats but with a modern twist, achieved by the delectable additions of peanut butter and our scrumptious Plant Protein. Launch into the New Year with newfound energy from Protein-Infused Crispies!

1. Grease a 9-inch by 9-inch pan with coconut oil or line with parchment paper. Set aside.2. In a medium bowl, mix together melted peanut butter, brown rice syrup, protein powder and vanilla until it forms a dough consistency.3. Gradually add brown rice crisps to the peanut butter mixture. Use a spatula or your hands to gently fold the rice crisps into the mixture. Then, pour mixture into the pan.4. Using a spatula, spread mixture out evenly and press into pan so the bars are compact.5. Place into freezer for at least 30 minutes.6. Before serving or storing, use a sharp knife to cut your treats into squares. Coat the knife with a thin layer of coconut oil to prevent sticking.

Substitution Tip

Brown rice syrup provides essential stickiness to the recipe’s texture. In a pinch, you can substitute a mix of honey and molasses at a ratio of 3:1.

It's not an exaggeration to say that more people are worrying about their health (especially, their healthcare) than ever before. Some could argue that all of this increased worry is actually having a negative impact on the health of Americans! While the latest effort by Congress to change our nation's healthcare system appears to have stalled, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be taking active measures to protect our own health. So, let's try to put aside the worry - and the politics - and focus on some really exciting science!

Thanks to a long-term study supported by multiple grants from the National Institutes for Health, we could all start doing something today that could have a real, measurable impact on our long-term health. Is it a miracle drug? No! Is it the latest fitness gadget or exercise program? No! In fact, it's simply a minor change in what we eat. That’s it! To understand why the medical profession is abuzz with the radical implications of the latest news, we need to come to terms with one simple, undeniable fact. As Americans, we're eating way too much meat. So much, in fact, that it's making us sick.

Researchers at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital recently announced findings of a groundbreaking study, one of the largest of its kind. Nutritional scientists examined the effects of regular consumption of high levels of protein from animal sources compared to vegetarian sources. Much of the animal protein came from processed red meats. And the results were nothing short of astonishing! They indicated that heavy meat eaters had a higher mortality rate. Participants in the study whose diets had a higher percentage of plant-sourced proteins experienced a lower risk of death.

The researchers analyzed two massive sets of data, one encompassing more than 30 years worth of information from NHS participants, and another that captured 26 years worth for HPFS participants. The combined total amount of reviewed data was a whopping 3.5 million person-years. Over the course of the data collection, more than 36,000 participant deaths were recorded. Those who perished fell into three major groups: 9,000 from cardiovascular disease, 13,000 from cancer and about 14,000 from other causes. When adjustments were made for competing risk factors, researchers found that eating protein primarily from animal sources (meat, eggs or dairy) was associated with an increased rate of death. The same adjustments were made for those whose consumption of protein came primarily from plant sources (breads, cereals, beans, legumes, etc.), and the results were highly significant … they uniformly had a lower mortality rate!

The data was unambiguous and clearly supports what vegetarians have been talking about for decades. The full report will appear in the August 1st edition of the Journal of American Medical Association – Internal Medicine (citation provided below).

Fortunately for Life’s Abundance customers, we offer the perfect solution to this widespread dietary problem. It’s never been easier, more convenient or more delicious to boost your plant protein content thanks to our innovative supplement powders, now available in both Chocolate and Vanilla!

Whey is a very popular ingredient in protein powders, especially in bodybuilding formulas. But is this commonly used ingredient all that it’s cracked up to be? In this post, we’ll look at the conventional wisdom and why whey might not be the best option for health-conscious consumers.

Let’s Talk Protein

It’s hard to understate the importance of consuming sufficient amounts of nourishing proteins. Your body needs quality protein to function properly, to build and repair tissues and to make enzymes, hormones and other key bodily chemicals. The amino acids in protein are the building blocks of bones, cartilage, muscles, hair and blood. So, there’s no controversy here … protein does a body good!

What Makes Whey Popular?

In the last decade or so, the media began educating consumers about the importance of getting an adequate amount of protein in their diet on a daily basis. That created a demand for a convenient and inexpensive source of protein. That’s when whey protein powders started on their journey to popularity.

Whey-t a Minute!

Unfortunately, whey protein has significant shortcomings, especially for those with sensitive stomachs. First, it’s derived from cow’s milk. Specifically, it is the liquid left over once milk has been curdled and strained. Moreover, it’s a by-product of the cheese-making process. It’s precisely due to its dairy origins that many people experience digestive issues consuming whey, such as bloating, gas, cramps, fatigue and/or loose stools. Formulators in-the-know attribute these reactions to whey’s lactose content, and many adults have some degree of lactose sensitivity.

Plant Power

Here’s our take. Animal-derived proteins are good, but they also may carry the dubious additions of saturated fat, cholesterol, added hormones and antibiotics. However, you can source excellent protein directly from plants without any of those nutritional drawbacks! For example, pea protein contains all nine essential amino acids and therefore is considered an excellent source of protein. Since it contains no dairy or soy, it’s regarded as a “clean source” of protein with zero gluten content. Hooray for plant power!

So, if you’re up for supplementing your diet with a protein powder, but you’re not interested in dealing with the possible digestive distress commonly associated with whey, try a plant protein powder instead!

With this crave-worthy recipe at your fingertips you’ll no longer worry about falling off the healthy eating band-wagon at snack time. Plus, you can spread your great inspiration by making an extra batch to share with friends and co-workers.

The best part is that because this isn’t a perfectly scientific recipe, it can be a clearinghouse for your pantry. Don’t have sunflower seeds or sun butter on hand? No problem, swap them out for chopped pumpkin seeds and that last 1/3 of a jar of nut butter lurking in the back corner. Or, put those pecans leftover from holiday baking to work in place of almonds, all in the name of good eating.

Even with this versatility, be sure to stick with the crystallized ginger (at least for your first batch) because it is undoubtedly the superstar of this recipe (less Kim Kardashian, more Dame Judi Dench).

Let us know how your batch turns out and if you made following these exact directions, or if you got creative!